THE COMPETITION

We used to offer, in December of each year, 5 litres of good Roussillon wine for the best photograph and 10 litres for the best "holiday story" or article about the region sent in by our clients. Over the last decade however you showed less and less interest until in 2005 there wasn't one entry at all! So we decided that (1) for 2005 we'd drink the wine ourselves and you'd just have to put up with one of Pete's photos and stories instead and (2) we'd call it a day, it had become too difficult anyway to manage the competition now that we had moved to France; We're not allowed to "post" the wine across frontiers and hand importing it had become a drag, literally... so, that's that, but enjoy, below, ten years of the Hall of Fame.

HALL OF FAME

Best Photo Award 2005 Peter Charles, France

Best Writing Award 2005 Peter Charles, France

Best Photo Award 2004 Neil Goodlad, Eckington, Worcs, UK

Best Writing Award 2004 Drunk it ourselves again

Best Photo Award 2003 Ian Sant, Aberystwyth, Wales, UK

Best Writing Award 2003 Mark Raymont, London, UK

Best Photo Award 2002 Richard Lock, Ashstead, Surrey, UK

Two writing award winners for 2002,

chosen with great difficulty from some great entries!

Best Writing Award 2002 / 1 Gillian Ravenscroft, Moseley, UK

Best Writing Award 2002 / 2 Brian Bethell, Surbiton, Surrey, UK

Best Photo Award 2001 Jill Stapley, Swansea, Wales

Best Writing Award 2001 No Entry

Best Photo Award 2000 A Lopez, Pontevedra, Spain

Best Writing Award 2000 Claire Miles, Hitchin, Herts, UK

Best Photo Award 1999 Dr Jason Mills, Manchester, Missouri, USA

Best Writing Award 1999 Mr G Stalley, Enfield, UK

Best Photo Award 1998 Mr G Stalley, Enfield, UK

Best Writing Award 1998 Ms Joy Nelson, Oxon, UK

This wasn't entered for the Competion because it was written by a professional and appeared in the INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY but Hilary Macaskill kindly allowed us to reproduce her superb article here.

Best Photo Award 1997 Mr Ted Walsh, Southwell, Notts, UK